Escaping ‘boring to boring’: injecting personality into your B2B content without losing credibility

Have you ever read a whitepaper that felt like it was written by a robot in a suit? With the rise of generative AI, that may not be far from reality. But even before AI, B2B content has long been accused of sounding stiff, jargon-heavy, and lifeless, especially in the tech sector where complex products often invite equally complex language.

But behind every decision is a person, or a group of people, trying to solve a problem. And people don’t connect with buzzwords; they connect with clarity, empathy, and personality. When done right, personality in B2B content can set your brand apart, build trust, and drive engagement without sacrificing credibility.

So, how can you break free from the “boring to boring” trap? Let’s explore.

Why B2B content is often seen as ‘boring’

The pressure to sound “professional” often pushes B2B tech content into sterile, overly formal territory. Many brands equate complex products with complex language, believing that industry jargon signals expertise. After all, how will people know our solution is the cleverest if we don’t use all the clever words in immediate succession.

But instead of building trust, this can alienate your audience.

In fact, 82% of UK business leaders say B2B marketing is boring and repetitive. And while tradition might say “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”, the reality is: it is broken. Decision makers don’t want to wade through endless pages of buzzwords. Page after page of technical speak and ‘in this fast-paced industry’ is enough to make any COO’s eyes glaze over. They want to understand what you do, how you do it, and why it matters, in language that feels natural and human.

Your customers aren’t robots. They’re people looking for partners who “get it”, who speak their language and make their lives easier, not more complicated.

And that’s where crafting a brand personality comes in.

Why a lack of personality is hurting your content

Sticking to generic B2B-speak doesn’t just risk boring your audience, it actively reduces engagement.

Take LinkedIn, for example: posts that appeal to emotion see 198x more followers and a 44% higher click-through rate. Why? Because they’re creating content that people actually want to engage with and have a conversation over.

If your post looks like every other company’s in your industry, you’ll struggle to stand out. Worse, prospects may not even see your content. As algorithms reward posts that generate discussion.

Infusing personality doesn’t mean abandoning credibility, it means communicating your expertise in a way that’s approachable and human.

What adding personality means (and what it doesn’t)

Hearing the term ‘personality’ is enough to make boardrooms shudder at the thought of not being taken seriously. But what we mean by personality is often misunderstood. Let’s break down what “personality in B2B content” really looks like:

A guide to adding personality for B2B brands

• Write like a person – Even when discussing complex solutions, write in clear, conversational language. If your audience feels like you’re speaking directly to them, they’re more likely to engage.
  • This doesn’t mean writing too casually – How personable you want to be depends on your brand, but writing like a person doesn’t mean you have to start writing like a Gen Z’s Instagram caption. Cool it on the ‘slay queens’ and ‘rizz’.

• Show empathy for pain points – If you’re trying to appeal to people, you need to show them that you understand. By expressing how difficult or trying certain issues can be for your prospects, you show an understanding of their perspective.
  • This doesn’t mean dumbing down your content – Showing empathy does not mean that you should solely appeal to emotions and not write to a high level. Yes, you are writing to people, but those people are educated and don’t need to be pandered to. And they want to know that you are smart, and not just simply trying to win them over.

• Add anecdotes and analogies – A great way to show relatability and express that you understand your customers’ perspective is to use anecdotes and analogies that can add an element of personality, whilst showing an understanding of the customer experience.
  • This doesn’t mean sacrificing technical detail – Using analogies to relate to customers and show a depth of understanding, doesn’t mean you should shy away from discussing the more technical aspects of a problem or solution. Yes, a customer wants you to understand them, but they also want to know that you have the know-how to deliver a solution that works.

B2B brands that have ditched the ‘boring to boring’

Gusto

Gusto, the payroll and human resources software, recognises that their solution impacts an entire workforce, from apprentices to C-suite. Branded as the ‘people platform’ this is exactly what they showcase across their marketing.

From the happy faces of customers on their website, to championing diversity and small business owners on their LinkedIn, it’s clear that Gusto have made the people they serve the heart of their brand. This shows their customers that they will be treated with respect and supported, as well as be able to deliver efficiency in payroll and HR.

Slack

As an enterprise messaging software, Slack has expanded beyond simple chats, and their messaging focuses on the many integrations and features the platform can host. They recognised that people want things to be simple, and in one place. And their messaging reflects this. Rather than getting down in the weeds about the various integrations, they tell people what they want to hear:

• ‘Manage projects and move work forwards faster.’
• ‘Tap into the tools that you already use’
• ‘Where work happens’

This messaging is extremely easy to understand and tells you at a glance the vast functionalities Slack can offer. It also sounds like something a real person would say. Not only this, but they aren’t afraid to lean into the fun of a messaging platform. This works because whilst Slack’s user base are professionals, they still speak like people, especially when messaging each other using their platform.

MailChimp

MailChimp excel at cutting out the jargon and speaking to the people behind the titles and suits. Their content style guide states:

‘At Mailchimp, we’ve walked in our customers’ shoes, and we know marketing technology is a minefield of confusing terminology. That’s why we speak like the experienced and compassionate business partner we wish we’d had way back when.

We treat every hopeful brand seriously. We want to educate people without patronizing or confusing them.’

And this is clear when looking at their communications. Instead of ‘Accelerate audience acquisition and expand omnichannel subscriber databases with qualified, intent-driven leads’, they simply say ‘Grow your email & SMS lists with high-quality leads’.

This is implemented across all their messaging, from little CTAs to full campaigns. A key element of injecting personality into your B2B brand, is to just sound normal. Not too chilled, not too formal, but simply like a normal person would talk. MailChimp could lean into the ‘scalable business outcomes’ of it all, but instead they choose to speak to their customer base just as you would speak to a new connection made at an event: with clarity and personality.

Inject personality into your B2B marketing

If your content sounds like it could be copied, pasted, and dropped into any of your competitors’ websites or whitepapers, it’s time for a rethink. You don’t need to sacrifice credibility to sound human; you just need to remember who’s actually reading your content. Behind every job title is a person who’s overloaded with options, short on time, and craving sincerity.

So no, B2B doesn’t have to stand for ‘boring to boring’. It can be bold. It can be empathetic. It can even make someone smile. The brands that dare to show creativity are the ones people actually remember and trust. And in a world of AI-written sameness, sounding like you is your biggest competitive edge.

Now go write like a person. Your audience will thank you for it.

Want to know how Isoline could help you shake off the chains of B2B rigidity in your marketing? Reach out here: hello@isolinecomms.com